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Friday, March 29, 2024

How to create a family food strategy

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Secure the family all 2020 and beyond! Our families grow overnight and in my personal experience, I went from being a mother of none to a mother of three in just five short years!

What should a family food strategy look like? The best food strategy is the one that can feed many people the most nutritious food. In advanced nations they have a disaster preparedness strategy. They stockpile food, water, medical supplies and technology to help when electricity is nonexistent and in times of mayhem. In Asia, they have Tsunami drills. Preparation saves lives.

Walking into any grocery store, food shortage is the elephant in the room! Water is slim. Canned goods are slim. Bread is slim along with other items. Non-perishable items will become gold in the time of survival.

 As a “Walking Dead” fan, I loved watching how the community survived. In every colony there was a garden, and when they searched for food, they always secured canned goods. Land ownership is the ultimate goal!

To start, consider the number of family members. Most people need a gallon of water a day to live comfortably. Factor in teeth brushing, hygiene, food preparation and drinking. Factor in babies and the water needed for their bottles. If you have five people in your family then that’s a 7-gallon-a-day need, realistically (always leave room for a curve ball). Seven times 30 is 210. The number is overwhelming, but if you sacrifice a cup of coffee a day, you could easily meet the goal. Every family member could survive on one canned good per day, and a bowl of oatmeal. That’s about $200 for a month’s supply of food. Work hard and quickly to get three month’s worth. Cut out the cable bill or an unexpected online purchase and you could easily reach your goal.

It’s all about prioritizing. Preparing properly will put you at ease. You can invest in 50-gallon rain barrels to hold water and buy water purification tablets. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave members of The Nation of Islam survival kit lists over 40 years ago. For those who have prepared, it has helped their families get through natural disasters and hard times all together.

Canning is important. Most of our elders grew food and canned to support large families. Partner with an elder in the community and you will see that canning is a simple necessity. You’ll also receive many history lessons!

Research how to properly store dried navy beans, rice, oats and staple foods. Consider your neighbors and extended family members in your plans also. Grab first aid kits and supplies. Proper preparation prevents anxiety. During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people ran around in disarray trying to buy necessities. Toilet paper is important! Include that in your family planning. Buy an extra pack of diapers for your baby every month. Get future sizes and store them. Stock up on baby formula.

On the southside of Chicago, most stores were shut down when rioting broke out, leaving at-risk communities without food, medicine and water. Prepare for your family. Watch survival videos. Educate yourself on famine, disaster preparedness … take a CERT class.

Doing these things will increase your chances of being successful. Successful people are proactive.

La’Kiyah Muhammad is an urban farmer and teacher for Kheprw Institute and the garden coordinator for Kheprw’s Growin’ Good in the Hood Garden. She is an advocate for poor and oppressed people and a mother of three. Muhammad is the owner and operator of Earthly Clean Products.

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